Twisted yarn-like structure and method for producing it



Dec. 26, 1950 w. L. THOMPSON, JR 2,535,376

TWISTED YARN-LIKE STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING IT Filed Nov. 30,1948 INVENTOR. W/RT L. THOMPSON JR.

A T TGRNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 TWISTED YARN-LIKE STRUCTURE AND METHODFOR PRODUCING IT Wirt L. Thompson, Jr., Fairfield, Conrn, assignor toAmerican Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, DeL, a corporation of DelawareApplication November so, 1948, Serial No. 62,605

2 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to novel and improved yarn-like structures and tomethods of producing them.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that specialsplittable and novelty yarns can be obtained by twistingnarrow-width'warp knit fabric, such as those obtained in accordance withJohnson Patent 2,433,279.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of the invention,

Figure 1 is a conventional diagram of one embodiment of a splittablefabric, from the individual units of which the novelty yarn of theinvention can be made,

Figure 1a is a much enlarged face view of the splittable fabric ofFigure 1,

Figure 2 is a conventional diagrammatic view of a modified splittablefabric from the units of which, the yarn-like structures of theinvention may be produced,

.Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of another splittable fabric,

Figure 3a is a much enlarged face view of the fabric of Figure 3,

Figures 4 to 9 are similar diagrammatic representations of othersplittable fabrics from the units of which the yarn-like structures ofthe invention may be made, and

Figure 10 is a view of a twisted yarn obtainable from the units of thefabrics shown in Figures 1 and 1a.

In general, the yarn-like structures of the present invention areproduced from narrow width warp knit fabrics such as may be produced ona tricot machine. The fabrics have one, two or more central walesextending longitudinally thereof and the edge sections along the centralportion each comprise a fringe comprising laterally extending yarnloops. These loops on the opposite edges of the fabric may be directlyopposite each other or they may be staggered alternately, depending uponthe specific structure of the fabric yarn and the number of centralwales thereof.

Figures 1 to 9 of the drawing show splittable edge of the fabric.

warp-knit fabrics from which individual units can be split out fortwisting.

Figures 1 and 1a show a back warp having a stitch pattern of 1-0, 2-3(under 2 over 1) using a thread on every other guide and a front warp inthe form of a chain stitch using a thread in every intervening guide ofthe other guide bar. This fabric can be made the full width of astandard warp knitting machine, such as a tricot 2 machine, and issplittable at every other wale, the splittable wales being indicated bythe letter s. Each stitch in the separable or splittable wale s consistsof a loop extending from the preceding course and a loop extendingtherethrough from the strip of the fabric on the side opposite that ofthe first loops. It will be seen that the splittable wale consists of aseries of loops alternate ones of which extend from the strips of fabricon the opposite sides of the splittable wale and each loop extendsthrough the eye of each preceding loop in the wale. By applying tensionacross the splittable wale at the end of the fabric shown at the top ofthe figures in the drawing, each loop of the splittable wale s pullsthrough the eye of each preceding loop in succession, and the fabric issplit into strips whose adjacent edges are composed of the free loopswhich are non'raveling. If desired, the last course of the fabric fromwhich splitting must be started may be provided with a transverse threadpassed through the last loop in each wale. This prevents splitting ofthe fabric even where the structure is open and loose. In order to splitthe fabric so constructed at any particular wale, it is only necessaryto break this thread at the In any event, splitting is easily performed,and it is unnecessary to pull a complete thread through the whole lengthof a wale in order to divide the fabric. The chain stitch prevents anyrunning or traveling of the fabric beyond the splittable wale. Whilethis embodiment illustrate a single chain wale between ad acentsplittable wales. and splitting at every other wale produces a fabricstrip composed of a single wale, variations in the number of centralwales (from one to four) between adjacent splittable wales can be made.For example, in Figure 2 the splittable wales are sep arated by threewales comprising the interlocked front and back warps.

Figure 3 shows a splittable fabric made with one warp. The single guidebar is threaded, one in, one out. The pattern-wheel set up would bewritten 0-2, 3-1. The splittable wales are indicated by the letter 3 andthe units into which the fabric is split have a single central wale.

In Figure 4, the back guide bar is threaded, one in, two out, and thepattern-wheel set up is 1-0, 3-4. The front guide bar is also threadedone in, two out, and the pattern-wheel set up is 0- 2-0. The individualunits split from this fabric comprise two central wales.

Figure 5 shows a splittable fabric in which the back warp has a stitchpattern of 1-0, 1-2, some- 3 times referred to as "under one, over one,"and in which a threadis provided for every needle. The front warp is achain stitch made with a thread provided on every other needle. Thesplittable wales are indicated by s and it will be seen that the stripshave a single central wale.

Figure 6 has a back warp the same as in Figure 'but in making the frontwarp, the guide bar is threaded one in, two out, and the patternwheelset-up is 1-2, 1-0. The splittable wales are indicated at s and it willbenoted that the split units have two wales.

,of the yarn. The intervening portions may be stretched to a lesserextent or they may be left in unstretched condition.

In Figure '7 both bars are threaded one in, two

out. The back bar pattern set-up is 2-0, 2-4. The splittable wales areindicated at sand the unit fabrics have two central wales from which thefringe loops extend.

In Figure 8, the back warp is the same as the back warp in Figure 7, butthe front warp corresponds to the front warp in Figure 4. The resultingfabric is splittable at the wales indicated at s and the split unitshave two wales.

Figure 9 shows a modification in which the back warp is made by using abar threaded one in, three out,- and the pattern-wheel set-up is 1-0,4-5, and the front warp corresponds to the front warp of Figures 6 and 7threaded one in, six out. The resulting fabric is splittable at thewales indicated at s and the split units have two wales therein.

After the warp-knit units are split from the fabric, they may be twistedand for this purpose may be collected on a cap twister, ring twister,flyer twister, or within a centrifugal spinning pot. A twist of at leastone turn every inch is sufficient in some cases but generally a twist ofat The front bar pattern set-up is 1-2, 1-0.-

1 The yarn-like structures obtained are useful in weaving, machine andhand-knitting, braiding, crocheting, embroidering, and the like andimpart to. the fabrics an extremely pleasing decorative and ornamentaleiflfect.

Figure 10 shows one type of yarn-like structure made .in accordance withthe invention and corresponding to the knit construction shown inleast'five is preferred. Twists up to 25 or more turns per inch may beemployed to obtain a yamlike structure having a rather tight or firmcore. If the twisted structure contains such a large number of 'twistsper inch as to be lively in character, the twist may be set by anymethods available, such as being subjected in air dry condition to radiofrequency current. The twist may also be set by means of steam and thendried; or by the application of a twist-setting type of size ordressing, such as any one of numerous waxy materials which are firm butflexible at ordinary room temperature. Examples of such compounds arethe esters of sorbitol, sorbitan, mannitan, and the like with the higherfatty acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid and the like having amelting point of 30 to 70 C.

In many of the constructions including that of Figure 1, the livelinessof the twist can be reduced and sometimes eliminated by tensioning thestructure longitudinally. This procedure can be made more effective byfirst overtwisting, then tensioning, and finally allowing the removableexcess twist by relaxing. An example that is especially adaptable tothis procedure is obtained witha stitch pattern of front bar: 1-0, 1-2;1 in, 6 out, and back bar: 14), 3-4, 1 in, 3 out, 1 in, 2 out. Byactually stretching the structures, such as that just cited, when madeof smooth or slippery filaments, such as rayon, the lateral loops can bepartially or completely pulled in toward the yarn core during which thestitch of the core itself appears to be opened up to provide modifiednovelty effects. When the loops of the specific example just cited arecompletely pulled .in, the result resembles a boucl yarn yet has agenerally more open interstitial structure throughout. The structure maybe stretc ed i i- Figures 1 and 1a. The central chain stitch warp of theyarn is indicated by reference character 3 and the loops extending fromopposite sides thereof are indicated by reference character 4, and itwill be noted that because of the twisting in the yarn, a side viewgives the appearance of a sine wave when the yarn has a twist of abouttwo or three turns per inch. I If this yarn were twisted to a greaterdegree such as five or more turns per inch, the sine wave effect is lostand a generally heterogeneous distribution of the loops about thecentral wale or yarn core is obtained. This gives the appearance of aboucl yarn but is still distinguishable therefrom.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A yam-like structure comprising a tricot knit fabric having from oneto four central wales extending longitudinally of the structure andhaving yarn loops extending laterally from the central portion of thefabric, said fabric unit being twisted at least one turn per inch.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the twist is from one to 25 turnsper inch.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the twist is from one to ten turnsper inch.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the twist is from five to ten turnsper inch.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which the twist is from one to five turnsper inch.

6. A structure in accordance with claim 1 in which said loops have beenat least partially pulled in toward the central portion of the fabric.

'7. A structure in accordance with claim 1 in which said loops have beensubstantially completely pulled in toward the central portion of thefabric.

8. A structure in accordance with claim '7 in which the loops have beensubstantially uniformly pulled in throughout the length of thestructure.

9. i A method of producing a yarn-like structure comprising the steps ofsplitting a splittable warp knit fabric into units having one to fourcentral wales bordered by laterally extending loops, then twisting thefabric at least one turn per inch, and stretching the structurelongitudinally to pull in the laterally extending loops at leastpartially.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 in which the stretching isperformed continuously and substantially uniformly throughout the lengthof the structure.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9 in which the structure isstretched at intermittent intervals therealong.

12. A method of producing a yarn-like structure comprising the steps ofsplitting a splittable warp knit fabric into units having one to fourcentral wales bordered by laterally extending loops and then twistingthe fabric at least one turn per inch.

13. A method of producing a yarn-like structure comprising the steps ofsplitting a splittable warp knit fabric into units having one to fourcentral wales bordered by laterally extending loops, twisting the fabricunit at least one turn per inch, and setting the twist.

14. The process of claim 13 in which the twist is set by tensioning thestructure longitudinally.

15. The method of claim 13 comprising the step of fabricating thetwisted structure by weaving,

knitting, braiding, crocheting, embroidering, and 1 warp knit fabricinto. units having one to four central wales bordered by laterallyextending loops, twisting the fabric at least one turn per inch, andconverting the twisted structure into a fabric.

18. The process of claim 17 in which the conversion is performed byweaving.

19. The process of claim 17 in which the conversion is performed byknitting.

20. The method of claim 17 in which the conversion is performed bybraiding.

21. The method of claim 17 in which the conversion is performed bycrocheting.

22. The method of claim 17 in which the conversion is performed byembroidering.

WIR'I L. THOMPSON, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 756,236 Horlacher Apr. 5, 19041,769,970 Silverman July 8, 1930 2,064,074 McNamee Dec. 15, 19362,416,758 Knowles Mar. 4, 1947 2,433,279 Johnson Dec. 23, 1947

